


Stranger Than Originally Planned

by Rosalee_Kenneth (orphan_account)



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alexei and Murray Friendship, All The Kids Are 15, Angst, Asexual Billy Hargrove, Back to School, Bi-Curious Max Mayfield, Billy Hargove Is Less Bitchy, Billy Hargrove Needs a Hug, Billy Hargrove Redemption, Billy Hargrove and Robin, But Freshman In High School, But It’s Like A 3 Year Difference, Cherry Slurpees, Coming Out, Consensual Underage Relationship, Dad Robin, Developing Relationships, Dustin and Erica Are Friends, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay Guru Robin, Gay Will Byers, Gen, Heartbroken Lucas, Hopper Lives, Hopper and Joyce Are Dating, Internalized Homophobia, LGBTQ+ characters, M/M, Max Mayfield and Robin Friendship, Mike Loves Eleven, Mom Steve, Other, Platonic Relationships, Robin is 18, Scoops Ahoy Is Open For Business, Scoops Troop, Set After Season 3, Sexuality Crisis, Starcourt Mall Is Still Intact, Steve & Robin & Dustin & Erica Bond, Supportive Steve Harrington, The Byers Stay In Hawkins, Will Byers Gets a Break, Will Byers and Billy Hargrove Friendship, Will Byers and Robin Friendship, another universe, breaking up, but not really, established relationships - Freeform, hinted at - Freeform, no monsters, underage dating
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-06-29 05:49:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19823830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Rosalee_Kenneth
Summary: The monsters of Hawkins are gone and the gang can finally live out their normal day lives once again. But the thing is...things aren’t as normal as everyone predicted, and it has nothing to do with the demogorgans





	1. Normal Is What I Never Was

**Author's Note:**

> it’s been 1 month since the Battle of Starcourt and the gang is finally getting used to the normal—well not everyone...

Steve and Robin were in the back room of Scoops Ahoy, sharing a cup of Peanut Butter and Chocolate Swirl ice cream and their thoughts with one another. The shop had just closed after a pretty busy day, and the two friends were doing their daily tradition of shoving their faces with ice cream and talking about random shit. 

“Can you believe how fast people are moving on after the whole shitstorm that happened last month? Yesterday the reporters were talking about teen drug use—as if that’s the most pressing matter that’s happened this summer,” Robin ranted, scooping a blob of ice cream into her mouth angrily.

“People wanna get back to their summer, Robin, can you blame them? The last thing I wanna do is think back when we were all in grave danger of being killed by a slug monster,” Steve replied with a certain calmness in his voice. He knew Robin was new to this whole ‘team’ that knew about Eleven and the mind-flyers, but he didn’t really expect her to accept it without any hesitation. She seemed to think it made sense which was the complete opposite of what Steve though when he found out. None the less, their friendship definitely had grown ever since she found out about everything which Steve benefited from since he could talk to someone that was his own age for once.

“But wasn’t that the exciting part? The whole chance of death?” Robin asked.

“We were both heavily drugged during the battle, Robin. Wasn’t that exciting enough for you?” Steve interjected, smirking.

“Sometimes I think it was a hallucination, Harrington,” Robin joked.

“I wish. It’s just our run-of-the-mill everyday lives,” Steve muttered, spooning some melted ice cream into his mouth.

“Who could ask for better?” Robin laughed. Robin’s laugh wasn’t raspy like her voice, it was boisterous and childish and it always reminded Steve of when they were both drugged. She didn’t laugh very often before, but know it was all she ever did when she was with Steve. He laughed with her, it felt good. It felt normal...

***

Max and Eleven were in the redhead’s room, laying on her bed and making of fun of the boys.

“Ever since last month, they play D&D like their lives depend on it. I mean, I guess they do but still it’s hilarious. I played a game with them one time and by the end of it Lucas on the floor, Dustin was shaking, and Mike was swearing his head off,” Max described, leaving her and Eleven in a fit of giggles.

“Whole other species,” Eleven stated which made Max laugh even more.

“Definitely, but Will was happier than I’ve seen him all summer. It felt good seeing like that,” Max said. Eleven nodded and laid her head on Max’s shoulder.

“He needs it,” El murmured.

“He does,” Max agreed, lightly stroking Eleven’s hair. They stayed silent for a while. Bringing up Will when he wasn’t around was always a sore topic to discuss, especially since Mike and Eleven got back together. They’ve all noticed how defensive Will got when he saw Eleven and Mike act all romantic towards each other. They felt bad, no one was really lining up to give him that love. There was an abrupt knock at Max’s door.

“Come in,” Max said. To her surprise it was Billy who entered her room. Ever since the Battle of Starcourt Mall, Billy’s been less of an asshole than he normally was and just stayed in his room. The rare times he came out was to eat, use the bathroom, or to wash his clothes. Max didn’t know what he did in his room all day but she didn’t exactly make it her mission to find out.

“Um—Max there’s pizza downstairs if you and El want some. I ordered it but I’m just not hungry so...it’s yours,” Billy explained. He looked skinnier these days, less powerful and more fragile—like he was about to break at any moment.

“Um—thanks, Billy. We’ll leave some for you if you’re hungry later,” Max stuttered, not used to her brother ever doing something so nice for her. Billy simply nodded and left. Max sunk into her pillow and faced Eleven who gave her a confused look.

“Is Billy ok?”

“I honestly don’t know, El. He’s been like this since last month.”

“Nice?”

“Broken,” Max corrected,” Come on, let’s eat.”

The two girl scurried downstairs into the kitchen where a box of pizza was laid in the counter.

“Good thing the guys aren’t here, they’d finish all this in 10 minutes,” Max ridiculed. She and the brunette found their laughter once again and sat at the kitchen table,” Man, they’re so gross.”

“Even Lucas?” El teased which just made Max slump in her chair,” What’s wrong?”

“Can we not talk about Lucas, please?”

“Why?”

“Can I tell you a secret?”

“Of course.”

“I don’t think I like Lucas as a boyfriend anymore. I don’t think I’ve ever liked him as a boyfriend. I think I just pretended I did cause the thought of someone having a crush on me was just so exciting.”

Eleven stared at the redhead, even though she didn’t know exactly how Max felt she still offered her support and gave her a hug.

“I’m here for you. If you don’t like him, dump his ass,” Eleven said which set the two into another fit of giggles. Despite everything, moments like this were the ones that made Max and Eleven feel like their lives were actually normal...

***

Joyce and Hopper were snuggled up on the dusty couch in the single mother’s house watching a movie that neither of them were getting the concept of.

“Wait, why is he traveling back in time to get to the future?” Hopper questioned with a beer can shaking wildly in his hand.

“No, he’s going into the future to save his past,” Joyce explained even though she wasn’t quite sure herself.

“This movie is more confusing than our everyday lives,” Hopper remarked, taking a long sip from his beer. Joyce let out a wheezy laugh and sunk into Hopper’s arms lovingly.

“I don’t think that’s possible, Hop. You have a teenage daughter with superpowers, I have a son who went to another dimension, and you think some time travel shit beats that,” Joyce exclaimed.

“I’d like to have a date without mentioning our children, Joyce.”

“And I’d like to actually understand this movie, but I guess we’re both disappointed.”

“I could never be disappointed when you’re with me.”

“When did you become such a sap?” Joyce smiled.

“When you decided to finally go out with me,” Hopper replied, blushing slightly.

“Only took me another mind-flyer, a Russian scientist, and a possessed Billy Hargrove to come around, huh?” Joyce teased.

“I’m just happy you did come around,” Hopper gushed, staring deeply into Joyce’s brown eyes. The woman smiled at him before gently kissing him on mouth. It was the type of kiss that felt so natural that kissing didn’t seem like the right word to describe it. It was gentle yet passionate and they never wanted to stop.

There was a cough. The two adults swing there heads to see Johnathan and Nancy in the kitchen with embarrassed looks on their faces.

“Sorry to interrupt, we were just passing by to drop off a few things,” Nancy clarified.

“For what?” Hopper asked, slightly mad they interrupted his date with Joyce.

“Oh, Hop, I forgot to tell you—Nancy is going to move in with Johnathan,” Joyce awkwardly stated.

“Here?” Hopper queried.

“Yes, for the time being,” Johnathan interrupted. Hopper looked dumbstruck and looked to Joyce for some sort of explanation.

“And this is completely ok with your mother, Nancy?” the chief reasoned.

“She gets an extra room to turn into a gym so I’m pretty sure she’s over the moon about it,” Nancy responded.

“Oh, c’mon, they’re both 18, they’re allowed to make adult decisions,” Joyce justified.

“In your home?” Hop said stubbornly.

“Why does it matter so much? You don’t live here,” Johnathan blurted out. Hop turned to the oldest Byer child,” It just seems like a lot, we were almost killed a month ago.”

“Then we better do the things we want to do before the next monster tries to kill us,” Nancy huffed, getting a stray hair out of her face.

“Don’t you want things to be as they were for a while before rushing into this?” Hop asked sincerely.

Nancy explained,“No monsters to destroy, no El burning out her powers, no possession. Face it, Chief, this is normal...”

***

Will was looking at Mike. His best friend, Mike. The Mike that asked him to be his friend when they were kids. The Mike who was dating Eleven. The Mike who would never look at him the way he always looked at him. He was Mike’s friend, that was it. He was just fine with being Mike’s friend, nothing more than that. Mike was taken...by a girl. He loved that girl. He loved Mike—platonically. He was just Mike’s friend, everyone knew that. They weren’t—and couldn’t be—anything more than that. Boys couldn’t like boys like that. Boys were supposed to like girls. Girls were supposed to like boys. You couldn’t love someone who was the same gender as you, that was wrong. Mike probably thought that was wrong. Will was being wrong. Will likes Mike as a friend. Mike likes Will as a friend. That’s it. Will looked at Mike once again, this time he saw that he loved Mike—not as a friend. Will loved Mike. That wasn’t normal...


	2. Will and Robin Aren’t Normal (And They’re Fine With It)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is just so over the heteronormative bullshit of his friends and finds someone who’s willing to give him the homo-normative bullshit he craves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will coming out was a bit sooner than I wanted but I just really wanted him and Robin to become friends for what’s about to happen next in the story....
> 
> *gay wink*

Max Mayfield had seen a lot of ugly things in the past 2 years of living in Hawkins, but hands down the worst thing she’s possibly ever seen is Lucas’s crying face. 

“I don’t understand. Why are you breaking up with me?” Lucas sobbed. Max grimaced at her now ex-boyfriend’s snot covered face and offered him a Kleenex. She never expected the breakup to be a clean cut but this was a little excessive. 

“I’m really sorry, Lucas, I am. I just wasn’t in love with you, I was in love with the idea of being in a relationship,” Max spluttered uncomfortably, not knowing what to do. 

“Is it because you’re in love with someone else? Is it Will? I always knew he liked you,” Lucas cried, his voice at a higher pitch than normal. Max prayed for Lucas’s parents not to come in his room, this encounter was awkward enough without his parents barging in. 

“It’s not because of Will, Lucas. Listen to me, I like you as a friend, I hope we can still be friends, I just don’t feel any spark in this relationship and it’s not because of you,” Max consoled the crying boy. She placed her pale hand on his shoulder and patted it awkwardly. She didn’t really know what else to do, this whole scenario was a lot more dramatic than when she rehearsed it with Eleven earlier that day. 

“I’ll wait for you, Max Mayfield. I’ll wait for us,” Lucas stated. His eyes were bloodshot and his mucous was stuck on his face. It was truly a repulsive sight beyond his overly dramatic statement. Max didn’t say anything more, she didn’t want to rock the boat even more by saying the chances of them getting together were as likely as Will not having a rough time when the mind flyer comes back. Before leaving she gave Lucas one more pat on the shoulder and walked out of his room, relived at the break up finally being over. Upon closing his bedroom door, she heard Lucas’s weeps again—slightly muffled from what she believed was him shoving his head into a pillow.

“What the hell happened to him?” Erica asked. She was leaning against the frame of her bedroom door whilst looking at her older brother’s room in confusion. Max sighed and shook her head before letting out a grin. She didn’t mean to smile but the whole idea of exposing what happened on that room to literally anyone was quite hilarious.

“I just broke up with Lucas,” Max said. Erica raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.

“Didn’t you two break up like 7 time already?” Erica recalled. 

“Well this time’s for real. I’m done with him,” the redhead explained. Erica just crossed her arms and shook her head.

“Yeah that’s what you said the other 7 times as well.” 

“Oh, shut up, Erica! I’m telling you, it’s over between us. I’m not gonna come back begging for forgiveness anymore.” 

“Mhm, I’ll see in a week, nerd,” Erica commented before waking into her room and slamming the door closed. Max huffed angrily in her direction before hearing the shrill crying of Lucas in the other room. Yeah, she was happy was she done with that, finally. 

***

During Steve’s shifts as Scoops Ahoy, Dustin and Robin would play poker in the back room. They normally did it cause Steve didn’t know how to play poker but mainly because he was a sore loser when it came to anything and the both of them didn’t really have the patience for that. Just as Robin was about to put down her Royal Flush and totally win the sundae they both were competing for, Erica came in and took a bit of it. 

“Jesus Christ! Really Erica I was literally about to win,” Robin said, flopping her card down on the table in defeat.

“Where’d you even get that spoon?” Dustin asked in reference to Erica’s hello kitty plastic spoon that was in her hand. 

“You never know when you’re gonna need to eat something, nerds,” Erica simply stated before pulling out two more for Dustin and Robin which they accepted gratefully. 

“So what brings you to our neck of the woods at 10 am in the morning? You’re normally here at 3 pm on the dot,” Dustin asked, checking his watch. 

“I had to get out of the house. Lucas keeps crying and it’s giving me migraines,” Erica explained.

“Why’s Lucas crying?” Dustin questioned, concerned. 

“Max broke up with him,” Erica told the boy. Robin let out laugh before scooping ice cream in her mouth. Dustin glared at her,” What’s funny about that?”

“I’m sorry, but didn’t those two break up like 7 times already?” Robin grinned. 

“That’s what I said to Max but she told me it was for real this time,” Erica mentioned. 

“Jesus, Lucas is probably doing his ugly cry right now,” Dustin groaned. 

“Oh trust me, he is, and it’s uglier than ever,” Erica replied. 

“I’m surprised Max didn’t want a piece of that,” Robin joked which made both Dustin and Erica smirk. 

“Shouldn’t you be like checking in on him? Get him to stop crying, so I can actually sleep tonight?” Erica suggested to Dustin. 

“Yeah, I probably should. But also, this is a brand new shirt and I don’t need Lucas’s snot all over it,” Dustin responded, gesturing to his green shirt with a graphic design of the Creature of the Black Lagoon movie. 

“Is Lucas’s ugly cry really that bad?” Robin asked. 

“It’s like a volcano of snot and tears erupted on you,” Erica told the older woman. Dustin nodded.

“Shit, what a keeper,” Robin commented. 

“Hey, Dustin, come out here. Mike, Will, and Lucas are here and they say they need you,” Steve abruptly said, entering the back room with his hat in his hands. 

“Shit,” Dustin cursed, standing up,” We’re playing next time, Robin.

“I’ll be ready to beat you, Henderson,” Robin confirmed. 

“I’ll be ready to beat right now you, Robin, if you give me the cards,” Erica said. 

“You know how to play poker?” Robin asked.

“I dabble,” Erica shrugged. Dustin left the back room before anything got competitive, and with Robin and Erica playing each other—it certainly would be. Sure enough, Mike, Will, and Lucas were all waiting for him at the counter. Lucas looked like a mess, and he noticed Mike and Will were slightly holding him up. 

“Max broke up with me,” Lucas croaked, his voice in shambles. 

“I’m aware, man. That really sucks,” Dustin comforted, giving his friend a much needed hug. 

“I thought we had something, a connection. Now she’s telling me she’s not in love with me—that she’s never been in love him me,” Lucas moaned. 

“Hey, were her for you, bud. We’re going to go to the arcade and forget all about Max, ok?” Mike said, patting Lucas on the back. Lucas just shrugged. Dustin could’ve sworn he saw Will roll his eyes a little. 

“Can I at least get some ice cream before we haul Lucas’s ass to the arcade,” Will grunted. 

“Fine, get yourself a damn ice cream cone, but you’re walking by yourself,” Mike retorted, walking away from Scoops Ahoy and dragging Lucas with him. Dustin trailing behind after giving Will an apologetic look. 

“What else is new?” Will muttered under her breath. He sighed and turned towards the counter of the ice cream store. 

“It’s your shift, Robin,” Steve argued from behind the break room door. 

“Fine, fine. Keep your pants on, Harrington,” Robin groaned. Suddenly the door swung open, reveling a slightly amused Robin. 

“Oh, hey, Will. Aren’t you supposed to be cheering up Lucas or something?” Robin asked. 

“I could care less about that,” Will straight-up 

stated with an annoyed look. Robin’s eyebrows raised at the demeanor of the boy in front of him. She hadn’t known Will for that long but she normally saw him as a caring kid who’d do anything for his friends.

“Why?” Robin inquired, curious about the aggression Will was portraying. 

“Its all about girls with them. Eleven-this. Max-that. I’m so done with it. Girlfriends are just stupid,” Will confessed, letting out some steam.

“I’d have to disagree with you on that,” Robin mumbled, giving the boy a smirk. Will’s eyes shot up abruptly and gave Robin a shocked stare. 

“Are you—? Do you like—?” Will stuttered, not knowing how to string the phrase together. 

“Yes, I’m gay. Yeah, I like girls,” Robin clarified.

Will looked at her in stunned disbelief. For so he believed no one was going to relate to him, that everyone would find him as a freak. The thought penetrated every happy thought he could imagine. He never believed that he would meet someone—like him. 

“That’s...” Will began, but he was at a loss for words to describe everything he felt. 

“It’s ok to find it weird. I mean a lot of people would—a lot of people do,” Robin confessed, a solemn look in her eyes. 

“No, it’s not weird. It’s not,” Will mumbled,” I-i think...”

Robin knew what Will was going to say before he said it—now it was her turn for her eyebrows to be raised. She looked at the kid before grabbing his shoulder and leading him down a hallway right beside Scoops Ahoy, at the end of it was a door to the back alley. She swung it open before shoving her and Will outside into the drizzling weather. Robin was concerned about the rain though.

“What the hell!” Will squeaked once Robin let go of his shoulder. 

“You can’t just come out to me in the middle of Scoops Ahoy. Are you insane?”

“You did it.”

“Well, I’ve had some experience with homophobia—it doesn’t bother me. I can’t have you go through the same thing when I was your age.”

“What thing...”

Robin sighed and leaned on the brick wall of the alley, her hair getting damper but the second,” When I came out to my parents they freaked out. They called me a bunch of gross, gross names before kicking me out. Don’t worry, I’m living with my aunt. Anyway, I thought kids my age would be different, I thought they would understand how I felt—or at least not judge it. They did. I spent most of middle school eating lunch in the bathroom and sitting in the back of class. It was just...lonely and I don’t want you to go through with that. You’re gay, right?”

Will nodded,” I’m sorry about that.” 

“Hey it’s fine, it’s my mistake for thinking people would actually understand.” 

“I’m sure my friends and family would.” 

“Are YOU planning on telling them you’re gay any time soon.” 

“No...”

“And why not?” Robin mused as if the conversation was a fill in the blank worksheet.

“I’m just...not ready,” Will admitted. 

“Yeah...exactly,” Robin whispered,” Listen, I don’t want to tell you how to live your live but just don’t do what I did. I found a way to be ok with all the hate, maybe you won’t.”

“So are you saying I shouldn’t tell them?” Will asked. 

“I’m saying to be cautious, kid. It’s a rough world out there without the monsters and shit,” Robin joked. Will smiled at her. For the first time in the past year—Will felt like he had a connection with someone. He didn’t feel so isolated anymore. 

“Weird question...” Will started but Robin was in the same wavelength as him. She pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket and gave it to Will.

“That’s my phone number. If you have any questions or if you just want to talk. You’re pretty cool, Will,” Robin complimented.

“Thanks, but um...why do you have your phone number in your pocket?” Will questioned, stuffing the paper in his pocket.

“For any cute customers that happen to fascinate me,” Robin joked,” I gotta go, Steve’s gonna freak out when he realizes I’m not manning the counter.”


End file.
